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A decade ago, the whole idea of “purpose”-inspired brand development and management was far from mainstream. A few visionary companies — starting with Johnson & Johnson and its famous 1943 credo, through market leaders such as Patagonia and Interface — were arguably way ahead of the curve by virtue of…

I spent a few years of my early career working in an organization chock full of pension actuaries; if you ever need a good actuary joke, just ask. Here's one: Q: “How many actuaries does it take to change a light bulb?” A: “I don’t know. How many did it…

A few years ago I was asked to participate in a breakout session pitting a bunch of entrepreneurial Silicon Valley marketers in the same room against some serious Fortune 500 CMO-types. They were mutually terrified of one another, and it ended up being an enlightening few hours. Looking back, I…

Five years ago, hot on the heels of some significant global rebranding work and regional talent branding successes, I wrote a book titled "Brand and Talent." While it was certainly not the only book that advocated a total purpose-driven, integrated approach to strategic management of brand, business and human capital, it…

In our last article we explored the question of whether press releases make sense in a media landscape fractured by new platforms and new channels for audience engagement. The short answer, we believe, is that press releases still have a place in your mix of PR tactics. That said, there…

In 1906 the Pennsylvania Railroad issued the world’s first press release, inviting reporters to cover a catastrophic train wreck in Atlantic City. For a century afterward, the press release remained the best way to generate widespread media coverage of your organization’s news. And media coverage mattered. But in today’s environment…

In our final episode of “PartnersCreative's Favorite Podcasts,” Suzanne Elfstrom, director of media & public relations, shares just one podcast recommendation. She finds it all-consuming. “You Must Remember This” hosted by Karina Longworth (2014-present) — I discovered this podcast while decorating my office this spring. I have a piece of the…

In Episode 5 of “PartnersCreative's Favorite Podcasts,” Shanti Johnson, assistant account manager and the newest member of our staff, riffs on her podcast playlist. “More Perfect” — Ever wonder about that elusive third branch of government, the U.S. Supreme Court? Probably not. But this podcast will change your thinking entirely. Each…

In Episode 3 of “PartnersCreative's Favorite Podcasts,” Amber Bushnell, our senior graphic and motion designer, shares podcasts at the top of her list. “NPR Ted Radio Hour by Guy Raz” — The host, Guy Raz, selects one theme for each episode and interviews a few TED speakers who have talked…

Welcome to Episode 2 of “PartnersCreative's Favorite Podcasts.” Joe Nickell, our PR strategist & content developer, is a wordsmith and knows a good story when he hears it. He finds these podcasts tell some very good tales. “Hidden Brain” — I have been known to binge on this podcast for entire weekend…

As an agency ripe with multitaskers used to working on multifaceted client projects, it should come as no surprise that just doing one thing at a time makes us feel like the ultimate slackers. That’s why we’re convinced that podcasting is a most-perfect form of after-work entertainment / enlightenment. How…

You may need a dog to pull your wheelchair or pick up a needed item from the floor. Or you may want a dog to talk to in the hospital or court room. Or to let you know when the phone is ringing. Or to help you feel safe after…

It’s that time of year again when college students leave the hallowed halls of academia and enter, albeit briefly, the rough-and-tumble professional world to which they someday aspire. It is, in other words, the season of the summer intern. PartnersCreative believes strongly in the power of the intern (learn about…

Yesterday’s celebrity is today’s “influencer.” Or, more cynically, yesterday’s celebrity is forgotten, while today’s influencers — YouTube gamers, Instagram beauty mavens, cheerful mommy bloggers and the like — wield incredible power to sway public opinion about issues, brands, and what to drink (or not). Today, brands in nearly every industry…

One of the most effective ways to get your destination — from restaurant to resort, community to tourist region — featured on the print and digital pages of media outlets is to host a familiarization trip, also known as a press or “fam” trip. In the past that invariably meant inviting…

As social media goes, this week has been a rough one for Facebook following its mea culpa that 87 million users' data was harvested furtively by Cambridge Analytica. On Tuesday, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg exchanged his signature hoodie for a business suit and tie to explain to Congress what went…

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. As a communications agency, we’ve watched in admiration as the #GivingTuesday movement has taken hold and resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars donated in the past five years — and we’ve eagerly participated…

“These areas, like the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, allow you to discover so much about yourself.” Last week I sat down with Nate Bender, an assistant account executive at PartnersCreative, to discuss his background and his decision to tackle a monstrous Montana challenge. But what is the challenge really? And how is…

“Anybody can go out in wilderness areas or other public lands and learn something new and surprising about themselves.” Imagine trekking 85 miles while climbing 27 peaks in Montana’s wild, public lands — not crossing a single road for days, bushwhacking down mountainsides without an established trail in sight, scrambling…

On July 25th the Montana Osprey Project wrapped up its onsite banding research for the year with the help of summer campers from the Montana Natural History Center. The Montana Osprey Project studies the ecology of these birds and whether the birds have been contaminated with heavy metals (from mining) in…

I’m not gonna lie. I love to recreate on the clock. Years ago, when I was a reporter at the Missoulian, I took every opportunity. Once I managed to score a seat alongside Montana’s governor on the first (legal) raft to pass through Milltown after the dam was removed. I…

From the desk of a data storyteller: Part II Since beginning my internship with PartnersCreative, I keep getting asked what I do at the agency. My typical response of, “I help monitor and optimize SEM campaigns,” is often met with a blank expression. When “What is SEM?” follows my statement…

From the desk of a data storyteller: Part I I began my adventure as a data analytics intern at PartnersCreative on June 27, 2016 — two months before I would begin my fall classes as a business analytics graduate student at the University of Montana. During the span of summer…

A group of eager St. Regis and Missoula high school students piled into PartnersCreative’s conference room a few weeks ago. This is an unusual occurrence for us — we often speak with students, but it’s usually at the university level and in the classroom as opposed to our office. It…

In spring 2016, Deloitte’s campus recruiting team asked us to create an online tool that would help students figure out if they were a good fit for the global professional services organization before meeting with a recruiter, applying for an internship or exploring specific job opportunities. The challenge was finding…

Do you own or manage a website? Is it powered by WordPress? If so, update your website right away. There is a current WordPress vulnerability that is actively being exploited across the web. This "content injection" exploit is considered easy to use and severe in nature because an attacker can alter the…

This blog post is the opinion of Suzanne Elfstrom, director of Media and Public Relations, and is not the opinion of PartnersCreative. Like that disclaimer? Super Bowl spots are always discussed, dissected and debated — many of them before they even air on game day. But this year was slightly…

As part of #GivingTuesday in late November we offered to help five nonprofits through the process of applying for free advertising with the Google Grants program. We would like to thank everyone who shared and entered the sweepstakes. While Montana organizations dominated the entry list this year, groups from Oregon…

This year we at PartnersCreative are once again giving away Google Grant support to help nonprofits spread their messages. To amplify that support, we asked members of our staff to suggest local nonprofits that deserve your consideration on #GivingTuesday. “The kids served by Watson Children’s Shelter are facing challenges that…

Nonprofits are in the business of changing the world every day. We’d like to change the world for a few nonprofits. This year we worked with nonprofits to access over $250,000 in free advertising through Google Ad Grants. We are proud to have helped so many deserving nonprofits — and we want…

It all began so innocently. So hopefully. Nate Bender and Kevin Keohane, new co-workers at PartnersCreative, decide to train together to ride in RATPOD, the annual fundraiser for Camp Mak-a-Dream, a camp for kids and young adults affected by cancer. Just two hirsute and happy do-gooders bonding on bikes while barreling…

As part of #GivingTuesday early this month, we offered to help five nonprofits through the process of applying for $10,000/month each in free advertising through the Google Grants program. More than two dozen organizations entered the sweepstakes. While there was (predictably) a high concentration of Montana organizations, we received entries…

Montana is abundant with gems of small towns full of authentic Western culture and residents who value old-fashioned principles of community and hard work. But over the last few decades many of these towns have experienced dwindling populations as a result of cattle operations mechanizing and logging and mining industries…

Picking blueberries is a wonderful teacher. Lillian and her husband, Warren, planted several bushes along the back fence line when they built my 1965ish ranch house. Today I pulled another two quarts of dark blue plump berries to split between a family-snack bowl and the freezer. I can pick and…

If your website isn’t mobile ready, it could begin suffering a hit in mobile search results. Today, Google rolled out their mobile friendly update, shaking up search results. The new Google search algorithm identifies whether websites are designed for mobile users, and gives preference to those websites by boosting their rank in mobile…

Website security is in the news again, and this time it seems to be affecting a lot of Montana website owners. We have identified a handful of Montana websites hacked this past week but there are likely dozens more that have been hacked already, and a large number that are…

A little more than 10 years ago I first walked into a place called PartnersCreative at 603 Woody in downtown Missoula. Not only was I thrilled to be back in my college town and able to rekindle all the outdoor pursuits that are so easy to do here (incidentally, an…

Late in the game, I recently jumped in to support our local running club’s “Tread of the Undead” 5K zombie race by acting as lead volunteer coordinator. In this position, I was placed on the core team of folks working closely with the two race directors. (Yes, things get complicated…

Over the past four years I’ve had the opportunity to work with an impressive group of people who took a “little” idea of creating a tennis pro-am charity event for Watson Children’s Shelter and turned it into Watson’s largest annual fundraiser. The PEAK Tennis Pro-Am has also become one of the most…

How do you get fearless, hard-working commercial fishermen in Alaska to wear life jackets when they’re working? We’re embracing this challenge in a project with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (part of the CDC). Those fishermen are a tough crowd to reach: When they’re out at sea,…

In Part I of IFTD/ICAST Brand Lessons, I talked about crossing over the brand divide between fly and conventional fishing. It is a topic that came up in several discussions with show attendees. Another issue that came up repeatedly was corporate behavior and how to talk about it without seeming disingenuous. Prior to…

What's not to like? In our second year of the race, last Sunday 67 stand-up paddleboarders unloaded their boards into the Clark Fork River in Missoula to race for the SUP Cup. They arrived from all over Montana and from as far away as California, Arizona and Alberta, Canada. New…

Since returning from IFTD/ICAST, I’ve had several people ask me how it went. I tell them it’s a good thing you can’t buy products on the show floor because my house would have a third mortgage on it. The rods I cast, like Radian from Scott and Salt from Sage,…

Much has already been written about how to promote your own book. I know, because I’ve read plenty of it. But as I recently learned, it’s a somewhat different game when you’re trying to publicize an art book. In May 2014, the Missoula Art Museum and University of Washington Press…

Over the years, our agency has organized and promoted quite a number of public and press events on behalf of clients. But when we contracted to assist Cabela’s in the grand opening of its Missoula Outpost, we knew we were in for a different kind of project. Missoula is, after…

Discovery is the favorite ski mountain of my family — and so many others in Western Montana. And that’s why it is so exciting that this gem in the Pintler Mountains is opening for its first-ever summer season. Through the warm-weather months Disco’s black and double-black diamond backside runs —…

In the last 10 years 2,309 people have died in fatal crashes on Montana roads. Of those, 492 were young Montanans between the ages of 18 and 25 — the demographic with the highest fatality crash rate. T Those are not insignificant numbers. Today, the Montana Department of Transportation is…

This past weekend, I got to spend a few hours as a marketing coach at Startup Weekend Missoula, a crazy entrepreneurial adventure where teams generate, develop and pitch sophisticated business ideas (many of them tech-based) over the course of a weekend. And by develop, I mean much more than what…

With all due respect to the Lombardi Trophy (due to be handed out Sunday) and the Stanley Cup, the Missoula Downtown Association hands out what may be the best trophy on the planet. Why? Because it comes filled with cold Kettlehouse beer. We know because Wednesday evening we were honored…

Over the past several months, years actually, I've sat on my bum while working. With my profession, I'm stationed in front of my computer; there's no way around it. Web programming and development is something I love to do but sitting all day is not part of the love. I…

A recent report from Forrester Research indicates that half of all Internet users age 18 to 23, and nearly a third of all Americans, use social media as their preferred discovery method on the Internet. Along with the overall popularity of search engines trending downward, this is a clear sign…

Last weekend I packed my stuff and officially joined the 2nd annual Montana Dragon Boat Festival held on beautiful Flathead Lake as a member of the Montana Office of Tourism team. As the agency of record for the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau (the event host) our PR department spent…

Surf culture in a landlocked state? Sound strange? Well, it did to me just four short months ago. In 103 days, I went from not knowing stand-up paddle board (SUP) racing existed to being the race director of Missoula’s first Windermere SUP Cup. With the help of a dedicated committee…

PartnersCreative’s PR team tells the journey of “Winter in the Blood,” a Montana-made film. Almost exactly two years after we first began promoting “Winter in the Blood” on behalf of the Montana Film Office, we finally got our chance to see it when the film came home on July 20…

PartnersCreative’s PR team tells the journey of “Winter in the Blood,” a Montana-made film. In the summer of 2011, the Montana Film Office asked us to help publicize a film shooting on the Montana Hi-Line, called “Winter in the Blood.” From the beginning, it was clear that this film was…

Yesterday I ran my first half marathon. I didn't set any records. I surely am not fast. But just to write those words makes me feel proud. My story isn't remarkable, but it's mine to tell. If you knew me when (up through high school), you knew that I could…

Recently, a campaign we launched last fall to raise awareness of sexual assault went viral. What do I mean by viral? It's been shared on more than 100,000 Tumblr pages, featured on Upworthy.com and Jezebel.com and posted on the Other 98%'s Facebook page. In all, it's generated thousands of comments…

The last Friday in June I cut out from work early and set out for Dillon, Montana, to volunteer at RATPOD. Huh? Well, it stands for Ride Around The Pioneers in One Day and it’s a 130-mile bike ride to raise money for Camp Mak-A-Dream, a summer camp for kids…

Launching our own responsive website taught us some valuable lessons. Chief among them, why it can take almost as much time to birth a site as to gestate an elephant (22 months). The day we decided to develop a new website it all seemed so easy. And, in fact, the…

Guest Column by James Grunke New business can drive the growth that ends recessions. Those aren't my words; they're the words of the Montana Department of Labor, from a presentation at the 2013 State of Missoula Commerce Report in late January. The proof is in the numbers. In 2007 —…

We have two Labradors in my family — Bailey and Omar. Every night, my wife, Jennifer, and I sleep upstairs, and we close the two boys off downstairs in the mud room at the back of the house. It's a comfy place with beds, toys, bowls and a dog door.…

I’ve spoken at conferences. Sometimes in rooms with people who have different opinions on my subject than I do. But I can honestly say, I have never been in Evan Smith’s shoes, standing in front of a room full of foresters and lumber mill owners, a title slide behind him…

If you're like most marketing people, your company CFO is continually asking about Social ROI, particularly as it relates to that, 'Oh what is it? Facepage Friendbook thing?' Well, we suggest you show her this chart. It's from a study done by ComScore about Facebook fan communities. Basically, it says…

The other day a client of ours (thanks Deny Staggs), mentioned that he was interested in ways to use Instagram for marketing. I hadn't used Instagram, personally, but the conversation got me curious, so I signed up. For those of you who don't know, Instagram is a social photo-sharing platform.…

Our agency has committed to donating our services to nonprofits since the beginning. In fact, our co-founder Susan's first Missoula client, back in the Ash Marketing days, was pro bono work for Camp Mak-A-Dream. Since then we've helped Watson Children's Shelter, the Missoula Family YMCA, Missoula Art Museum, Five Valleys…

—Getting in an accident at 30 mph really won't hurt me. —My dress will get all wrinkled. —Buckling up is too much of a hassle. For Montana Department of Transportation's most recent seat belt campaign, we tried to shatter these myths in a series of raw videos highlighting real-world experimentation.…

In the first installment of this article, I introduced the Google Grants program that offers free advertising to nonprofits through Google AdWords. In this second installment, you'll learn how to maximize the Google Grants program for your organization, track results, and I'll answer some frequently asked questions about the program.…

In this two part series, Interactive Director Tony Ferrini explains why nonprofit organizations should apply for a Google grant as well as strategies to maximize the effectiveness of the program. Do you work for or serve on the board of a nonprofit organization? Does your organization have a website? Did…